In the village of Shukba, close to Ni'lin, several Israelis joined tens of Palestinians in their second Friday demonstration. The villagers are protesting against a local illegal Israeli settler-quarry, using local natural resources in contrast to international law (see more here).
The procession was met by a group of soldiers, who after short negotiations allowed it to proceed towards the quarry, by a road surrounded with barbed wired fence and a deep valley that would not allow access to the quarry itself. A second group of soldiers, waiting at the quarry, saw the marching demonstrators and violated the agreement by shooting tear gas at them. As a response parts of the barbed wire were dismantled and some stones were thrown.

Ma'asara 25-12-09

Some 80 demonstrators marched in this Friday's Christmas demonstration in Ma'asara, which focused on solidarity with Bil'in's arrested popular committee member Abdallah Abu-Rahme. Abu-Rahme has been kidnapped from his home two weeks ago and charged this week by the military prosecution for illegal possession of weapons, referring to the empty tear gas canisters found in his home, that were once used by the army against demonstrations, and have since served the village in telling the world about military oppression. Ma'asara Kids, adults and Santa Clauses were handed out used tear-gas and stun grenades, similar to he ones caught in Bil'in, and hung them as decoration on the holiday tree.
The tree-carrying procession reached the regular military road block, where some of the children choose to decorate even the soldiers' barbed wired fence with some grenades. Santa Clauses were waving flags, slogans where chanted, and speeches were carried in Arabic, English and Hebrew. One of the prominent speakers was Palestinians MP Dr. Mustapha Barghouti.
The demonstration's jolly Christmas spirit did not catch the soldiers and border policemen, who jumped nervously at any sight of someone touching their fence. At some point five policemen crossed the fence and tried to arrest one of the village youth, but failed and had to face some heavy mocking while returning to their unlawful place behind the fence.
The demonstration ended peacefully and with season's greetings to all present.

Ma'asara demonstration 25-12-09

Some 30 Israelis and 15 internationals celebrated Christmas (and the 42nd anniversary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) in Bil'in this Friday. They joined the weekly local demonstrations against the wall with St. Nick and Mrs. Claus costumes and toys for the kids.
Here too the soldiers were offered a Christmas tree decorated with used gas canister baubles, and reciprocated with brand new gas canisters for the demonstrators and village youth. But since collecting and displaying used army projectiles is grounds for arrest and indictment (as shown by the case of Abdullah Abu Rahme), the good boys of the village politely returned the army's spent ammo. High level Fatah officials joined to congratulate and show solidarity.
The demonstration ended with no casualties.

 
A bit later some 500 demonstrators gathered at the top of the street that Jewish settlers are taking over in Shiekh Jarakh in East Jerusalem. The demonstrators, who came part by bus from Tel Aviv, part in cars from the Bil'in and Ma'asara demonstrations and part in an organized march from West Jerusalem, sang songs and beat their drums in solidarity with the Palestinians kicked out of their homes by the settlers.
The good policemen of Jerusalem, who have probably not read the editorial in this morning's Ha'aretz, decided that a demonstration with no arrests would be unworthy of its name, even though the march and demonstration were coordinated with it ahead of time. Police started arresting people who were already arrested in the past, claiming that they were in violation of their parole. To their great shame a member of the Jerusalem municipality was present with a copy of the appeals' court ruling, canceling the activists' ban from the area, and so most detainees were later released.
The massive demonstration went on with great energy for two hours, and enjoyed the presence of the media. It is believed that these demonstrations will keep growing in the coming future.

Peace on earth and good will towards man.

A Palestinian as Santa Claus outside his house in Shiekh Jarakh, taken over by settlers